Ruhleben P. O. W. Camp was a civilian detention camp during World War I. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All It was located in Ruhleben, then a village 10 kilometre to the west of Berlin, now a district of the city called Ruhleben-Spandau. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. The camp was originally a horse racecourse.
Contents |
Detainees
The camp detainees included male citizens of the Allied Powers living, studying, working or on holiday in Germany at the outbreak of World War I. The Entente Powers (from Triple Entente) were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All They also included the crews of several civilian ships stranded in German harbors or captured at sea. The camp contained between 4,000 and 5,500 prisoners, most of them British. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Life in the camp has been described in several books subsequently written by detainees. These include To Ruhleben - And Back by Geoffrey Pyke, who successfully escaped from the camp in 1915. To Ruhleben - And Back is Geoffrey Pyke 's memoir of his experiences in the Ruhleben P Geoffrey Nathaniel Pyke ( 9 November 1893 &ndash 22 February 1948) was an English Journalist; a Spy and [1]
The German authorities adhered to the Geneva Convention and allowed the camp detainees to administer their own internal affairs. The Geneva Conventions consist of four Treaties formulated in Geneva, Switzerland, that set the standards for International law for humanitarian Gradually, a mini-society evolved in the camp. Letters, books, sports equipment and a printing press were all allowed into the camp and the detainees organised their own police force, magazine, library and postal service. The latter, known as the Ruhleben Express Delivery, was organised by Albert Kamps and began operating in July 1915. Soon it was handling over 6000 pieces of mail per month and 16 different postage stamps, which have since become collectors items, were issued. In April 1916 however the German postal authorities declared the service illegal and it ceased operating. In addition, a number of independent businesses, including a casino, also developed within the camp.
Arts and culture
The camp detainees also arranged their own entertainment. Among them were several musicians including Ernest MacMillan, later to become a conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Sir Ernest Alexander Campbell MacMillan CC ( August 18, 1893; died May 6, 1973) was an internationally renowned Canadian The Toronto Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian Orchestra. 400000 people attend its live performances each year and it is often broadcast over CBC Radio 2 MacMillan was a prominent member of the Ruhleban Musical Society and directed performances of Mikado and a pantomime version of Cinderella. Pantomime (informally panto) (not to be confused with a Mime artist, referring to a theatrical performer of mime is a performance genre traditionally found Cinderella ( French: Cendrillon, Slovak: Popoluška, German: Aschenputtel, Spanish: Cenicienta MacMillan transcribed the music for the former from memory with the help of four other musicians. Among those who attended these performances were James Gerard, the United States ambassador. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the MacMillan was also a member of the Ruhleban Drama Society and acted in productions of Othello, Twelfth Night and The Importance of Being Earnest. Twelfth Night Or What You Will is a Comedy by William Shakespeare, based on the Short story "Of Apolonius and Silla" by The Importance of Being Earnest is a play by Oscar Wilde. It premiered on February 14, 1895 at the St
Sports at Ruhleben
As well as music and drama, sports also played a major role in the life of the camp detainees. Among the detainees were several former professional footballers including four former England internationals, Fred Spiksley, Fred Pentland, Samuel Wolstenholme and Steve Bloomer, a Scotland international, John Cameron, a German international Edwin Dutton and John Brearley, once of Everton and Tottenham Hotspur. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered The English national football team represents England in international football and is controlled by The Football Association, the governing body for football Fred Spiksley (January 25 1870 Gainsborough – July 28 1948 Goodwood) is a former English footballer and coach who played as a forward for Frederick Beaconsfield Pentland ( 29 July 1883 — 16 March 1962) was an English footballer and manager Samuel Wolstenholme (born 1878 Little Lever; died 28 January 1933, Wigan) is a former English footballer who played for among Steve Bloomer (born January 20 1874, Cradley Worcestershire; died April 16 1938, Derby) was an English The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. John Cameron (born April 13 1872, Ayr, Scotland; died April 20 1935, Glasgow) is a former Scottish footballer The German national football team (Die deutsche Fußballnationalmannschaft From 1950 to 1990 the team was also informally called West Germany in English as since Edwin Dutton (born April 8 1890 &mdash died January 1 1970) is a former Anglo-German footballer and coach John Brearley (born October 1875 West Derby, Liverpool, England) is a former English footballer and manager Everton Football Club is an English football club located in the city of Liverpool. Tottenham Hotspur, ˈtɒʔnəm is an English professional football club which currently plays in the Premier League. The Ruhleben Football Association was formed with Pentland as chairman and Cameron as secretary. Cup and league competitions were organised and teams adopted the names of established teams such as Tottenham Hotspur and Oldham Athletic. Tottenham Hotspur, ˈtɒʔnəm is an English professional football club which currently plays in the Premier League. Oldham Athletic Football Club (2004 Ltd, more commonly Oldham Athletic Football Club or informally Oldham Athletic, is an English football club As many as 1,000 attended the bigger games. On May 2 1915 an England XI featuring Pentland, Wolstenholme, Brearley and Bloomer played a World XI captained by Cameron. Towards the end of the war an international triangular tournament called the Coupe de Allies , featuring a British XI, a French XI and a Belgium XI, was organised. Other sports such as cricket, rugby, tennis and golf were also popular within the camp. Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries Rugby football (usually just " rugby " may refer to a number of sports through history descended from a common form of Football developed at Rugby School Tennis is a sport played between two players ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles) In May 1915 a Rubleben XI, featuring Bloomer and Brearley, played a Varsities XI in the Rubleban Cricket League. A varsity match is a sporting fixture between two University rivals In July 1916 a Lancashire XI, featuring Bloomer, beat a Yorkshire XI that included Wolstenholme.
Notable prisoners at Ruhleben
|
References
Notes
- ^ Pyke, 2002
General references
- Pyke, Geoffrey (2002). Edwin Dutton (born April 8 1890 &mdash died January 1 1970) is a former Anglo-German footballer and coach Sir Charles Drummond Ellis (b Hampstead, 11 August 1895; died Cookham 10 January 1980) was a Physicist and scientific Sir Ernest Alexander Campbell MacMillan CC ( August 18, 1893; died May 6, 1973) was an internationally renowned Canadian Sir John Cecil Masterman ( January 12, 1891 &ndash June 6, 1977) was a noted academic sportsman and author Frederick Beaconsfield Pentland ( 29 July 1883 — 16 March 1962) was an English footballer and manager Geoffrey Nathaniel Pyke ( 9 November 1893 &ndash 22 February 1948) was an English Journalist; a Spy and Fred Spiksley (January 25 1870 Gainsborough – July 28 1948 Goodwood) is a former English footballer and coach who played as a forward for Samuel Wolstenholme (born 1878 Little Lever; died 28 January 1933, Wigan) is a former English footballer who played for among Geoffrey Nathaniel Pyke ( 9 November 1893 &ndash 22 February 1948) was an English Journalist; a Spy and To Ruhleben — and Back: A Great Adventure in Three Phases, Collins Library. To Ruhleben - And Back is Geoffrey Pyke 's memoir of his experiences in the Ruhleben P The Collins Library is an imprint of McSweeney's Books that publishes unusual out-of-print books McSweeny's Books. McSweeney's is an American publishing house founded by editor Dave Eggers, author of the books You Shall Know Our Velocity, ISBN 0-9719047-8-2.
External links
- The Ruhleben Story.
- Ruhleben P.O.W. Camp Stamps
- Sir Ernest MacMillan at Ruhleben
- Ruhleben at National Library of Scotland
- Ruhleben Postcard Collection
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic